Apparatus for stacking units of sheet material

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for stacking units of sheet material in staggered relationship including a receiver with end plates spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the sheet material to be stacked, a feed device for feeding individual sheets into the receiver, a positioning device in the receiver for directing individual sheets against one or the other of the end plates and a control selectively directing the positioning device to achieve staggered stacking of units of sheet material.

0 United States Patent 1151 3,647,045

Wegener Mar. 7, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR STACKING UNITS OF 2,998,1878/1961 Wollar ..93/93 C SHEET MATERIAL 3,304,084 2/ 1967 Ashton .198/41X 3,529,758 9/1970 Bern 198/41 X [72] Inventor: Hans F. Wegener,Mlchlgan C1ty, lnd. 1,099,186 6/1914 McKznnan 271/63 A [73] Assignee;National Steel Corporation 3,020,810 2/1962 Buccicone ..93/93 DP [22]Filed: Feb. 6, 1970 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS PP- 9,184 1,078,5033/1960 Germany .....214/6 DS 52 11.5.01 ..l98/4l, l98/DlG. 1 1, 271/63A, 'j A- 93/93 C 93/93 DP, 93/93 K Attorney-Shanley and 0 Neil [51] Int.Cl. ..B3lb 1/96, B3 lb 1/98, B65b 57/20 58 Field of Search ..93/93;198/41,DIG. 11, DIG. 13; 1 1 ABSTRACT 214/6 6 N; 271/18 1 A An apparatusfor stacking units of sheet material in staggered relationship includinga receiver with end plates spaced apart [56] References cued a distancegreater than the length of the sheet material to be UNITED STATESPATENTS staclted, a feed device for feeding individual sheets into thereceiver, a positioning devlce 1n the recelver for directmg m- 1,113,503 10/1914 Staude ..93/93 K dividual heets against one or the otherof the end plates and 3, 111541451 9/ 1915 staude K control selectivelydirecting the positioning device toachieve 2,133,264 l Wolff 93/93 Cstaggered stacking of units of sheet material. 2,918,852 12/1959Buccicone ..93/93 2,960,243 11/1960 Beaulieu .214/6 N 13 Claims, 4Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR 11972 I 3,647,045

SHEET 1 BF 2 $1 m INVENTOR HANS F- WEGENER APPARATUS FOR STACKING UNITSOF SHEET MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In stacking sheet materialfor storage, packaging, processing or other purposes, it is common tostack the sheets in units of a predetermined number of sheets. Theseunits are placed in staggered relationship such that they are in offsetrelation to units adjacent thereto. This provides means to readilydetermine the total number of sheets in a stack, separate knownquantities of sheet material or to remove desired quantities forpackaging or further processing thereof.

This invention relates to the automatic stacking of sheet material inunits disposed in staggered relationship and to a new and improvedapparatus for accomplishing such stacking.

Although described hereinafter as specifically applied to the handlingof sheet metal, the invention, with relatively minor modifications, canbe adapted to handle material of any type.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention is directed to the handling ofgalvanized sheet metal and comprises a receiver or pile-forming box withend plates spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the sheetmaterial to be stacked; a feed means for feeding individual sheets intothe receiver; a positioning means including electromagnetic rollersassociated with the receiver to engage and direct sheets being fed intothe receiver against one or the other of the end plates; and a controlmeans to regulate the actuation of the rollers and thereby the directionof the positioning means to provide units, consisting of a number ofsheets determined by the control means, having a staggered or offsetrelationship to adjacent units.

The objects and other advantages of the invention will become betterunderstood to those skilled in the art by reference to the followingdetailed description when viewed in light of the accompanying drawingsin which like components throughout the figures thereof are indicated bylike numerals and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic elevationalview, in section, of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 showing theapparatus in one phase of operation thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the apparatus in anotherphase of operation thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 and 2, a receiver orpile-forming box, indicated generally at 10, consists of a bottom 12,end walls or plates 14 and I6 and sidewalls l8 and 20. At least one ofthe sidewalls 18 or 20 is hingedly connected to the bottom 12 such thatthe wall can be swung into coplanar relationship thereto to provideaccess to the interior of the receiver for withdrawal of materialtherefrom. The receiver 10 is preferably provided with a pallet orremovable bottom 22 therein to facilitate removal of material as will bedescribed in greater detail below. The sidewalls 18 and 20 of receiver10 are spaced apart a distance about equal to the width of the sheets tobe piled. The end walls 14 and I6 are spaced from one another a distancegreater than the length of the sheet material to be receivedtherebetween.

A feed means, comprising an inclined plate 24, is disposed over one endof the receiver 10 to feed individual sheets of material to be stackedtherein. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the front edge of an initial sheet260 slides along the upper surface of the pallet 22 toward the end plate16 as the sheet is fed into the receiver. Succeeding sheets similarlyslide across the upper surface of the preceding sheet as they are fedinto the receiver.

A positioning means, shown generally at 28, is disposed proximate theother end of the receiver 10. This means com- 38, selected to beslightly less than the effective weight of the means 28 for normalslight biasing thereof downwardly toward the bottom of the receiver 10,is attached to the free end of the pulley-cable 36 to suspend the means28.

The frame 34 is provided with a guide roller structure 40 supportedhorizontally therefrom and extending through and engaging both sides ofthe end plate 16 to maintain the horizontal position of the positioningmeans 28. A feeler roller 42 extends forwardly and downwardly from theframe to engage the sheet material being fed into the receiver 10 andelevate or vertically position the positioning means 28 as the receiverfills with sheet material. The roller 42 is positioned at a smalldistance below the rollers 30 and 32 such that these latter rollers arenormally spaced from engagement with the upper surface of the sheetmaterial in the receiver 10.

The roller 42 serves an additional function in that each sheet materialbeing fed into the receiver 10 will normally ini tially tend to float ona cushion of trapped air. The roller 42 serves to press this sheetdownwardly into engagement with the next lower sheet. I

A pair of drive motors 44 and 46, preferably electrically powered, aremounted on the frame 34 and drivingly connected to corresponding rollers30 and 32 by means of pulleydrive belt arrangements 48 and 50respectively. The motors 44 and 46 are designed to rotate in oppositedirections such that, for example as seen in FIG. 1, the roller 30 isrotated in a counterclockwise direction while the roller 32 is rotatedin a clockwise direction. Other drive means, such, for example, as asingle power source driving the rollers through divided, reversed pulleysystems, could obviously be substituted for the system illustratedwithout exceeding the scope of this inventton.

In the preferred embodiment, the motors 44 and 46 are continuouslyenergized during operation of the device so that the rollers 30 and 32are in constant opposing rotation.

This invention is specifically directed to apparatus for the handling ofgalvanized sheet steel. With such material, or with any other ferrous ormagnetic material, it is preferred that the rollers 30 and 32incorporate electromagnets to provide selective magnetic gripping of thesheet material for purposes to be described in greater detail below. Asused herein, the term magnetic" as used in conjunction with the materialhandled, means a material which, by its composition,-.is subject tomagnetic influence. If, however, the invention is to be utilized with.

other than magnetic materials such, for example, as nonferrous metal,plastic, paper products or the like, the rollers would be provided withopenings over the surfaces thereof and be connected to a source ofvacuum to grip the sheet material in the same manner that isaccomplished by the electromagnets specifically described.

The electromagnetic rollers 30 and 32 are connected to a switch 56,mounted on the frame 34 which, in turn, is connected to a source ofelectric power 57 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The switch is preferably of atwo-position, solenoid-actuated type to provide alternate energizationof either roller 30 or roller 32 according to the positioning of theswitch.

The switch 56 is connected to a control 60 which, in turn, is connectedto a counter 62. The control 60, actuated, for example, by signals fromthe counter, serves to alternately position the switch 56 to therebyreverse electromagnetic energization of the rollers 30 and 32.

The counter 62 is connected to a pulse generating switch 64 which isactuated by a mechanical foot 66 positioned over the feed means 24. Thefoot is displaced by sheet material passing thereunder in such a manneras to send a signal to the counter each time .a sheet of material to bestacked is fed to the receiver I0. The counter 62 is adjusted to signalthe control 60 and reverse energization of the rollers 30 and 32 when adesired number of pulses is received thereby. The counter 60 ispreferably variable so that the number of pulses required to reverseenergization of the rollers may be adjusted as desired. In this way, thenumber of sheets making up each unit can be varied as desired.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a first cycle of operation of the apparatus isillustrated. In the configuration of FIG. 3, the switch 56 is positionedso that roller 30 is energized and in such case sheets being deliveredto the receiver each have a portion lifted slightly into engagement withthe roller 30 and, due to the counterclockwise rotation thereof, aredirected against the end plate 16. A unit of sheets 260 through 26: isthereby being formed against that end plate. Rotation and energizationof the roller is continuous as long as the switch 56 is in theconfiguration of FIG. 3 so that each sheet 260 to 26i will be movedalong in controlled fashion until the leading edge thereof abuts the endplate 16 after which time it will be maintained in contact with the endplate due to continued frictional contact with the roller 30 until thenext sheet 26j intervenes therebetween. Such continued contacteliminates the bounce back which might occur if the sheet were freelydelivered against the end plate.

After the feeding of a predetermined number of sheets (10 areillustrated), as determined by the setting of the counter 62, a signalis sent by counter 62 to the control 60 and the switch 56 is actuated tothe configuration of FIG. 4 thereby reversing energization of therollers so that roller 30 is deenergized and roller 32 is energized. Inthis configuration, the sheets being fed into the receiver 10 areengaged by the roller 32 and, due to the clockwise rotation thereof, aredisplaced until the trailing edge thereof engages the end plate 14 sothat a unit of sheets 26k through 26n is being formed against that endplate, offset or in staggered relationship to the first formed unit ofsheets 260 through 26j; The stacking of sheets in offset units iscontinued as above until the desired height of the pile or the capacityof the receiver 10 is reached. As an alternate, the receiver can beprovided with a vertically movable or moving floor such that the floorcan be continuously moved downwardly as sheet material is depositedthereon. When the capacity of the receiver 10 is reached, wall 18 islowered to coplanar relation with the floor 12 for pickup of the pallet22 and stacked sheet material by a fork lift or other material handlingmeans.

It will be obvious that instead of each of rollers 30 and 32 turning inthe same direction but opposite to the direction of the other roller andbeing alternately energized magnetically during the first and secondcycles of FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively, the same desired result could beaccomplished by continuously energizing both rollers magnetically anddriving the rollers first in a counterclockwise direction at the time ofthe first cycle of operation illustrated in FIG. 3 and then driving therollers in a clockwise direction when they are in the second cycle ofoperation illustrated in FIG. 4. Operating in this manner both rollers30 and 32 could work together or one could be eliminated altogether.Also the electromagnetic means need be energized only during the firstand second cycles and not continuously.

With either method of operation, viz unidirectional rotation of therollers during the first and second cycles or reversed rotation of therollers during the first and second cycles, the counting mechanismactuates the sheet positioning mechanism to reverse the direction of theaction thereof on the sheets entering the receiver.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a preferredembodiment, modification of that embodiment can be made withoutdeparting from the principles of the invention. Such modifications arewithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for stacking units of sheet material in staggeredrelationship comprising a. a receiver having end plates at opposite endsthereof, said end plates being spaced from one another a distancegreater than the length of said sheet material,

b. feed means disposed to feed the sheet material in individual sheetsinto the receiver,

c. sheet-positioning means comprising at least one rotating roller meansassociated with the receiver having an axis of rotation normal to thepath of sheet material fed thereto, and means associated with the rollermeans to cause the roller means to grip the topmost sheet received bythe receiver and move it in a horizontal plane into engagement with oneof the end plates, and

d. control means to actuate the sheet positioning means selectively toposition each sheet against a desired one of the plates.

2. An apparatus for stacking units of sheet material in staggeredrelationship comprising:

a. a receiver having end plates at opposite ends thereof, said endplates being spaced from one another a distance greater than the lengthof said sheet material,

b. feed means disposed to feed the sheet material in individual sheetsinto the receiver,

c. sheet-positioning means disposed to engage each of the sheets fed tothe receiver and to selectively move each sheet to place an edge of eachsheet against one of the end plates, and g d. control means to actuatethe sheet positioning means selectively to position each sheet against adesired one of the end plates, including a counting means to actuate thepositioning means selectively to position a plurality of sheets inengagement with a desired one of the end plates and then to position aplurality of sheets in engagement with the other one of the end plates.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sheet material ismagnetic and wherein the means associated with the roller means comprisean electromagnet.

4. An apparatus for stacking units of magnetic sheet material instaggered relationship comprising:

- a. a receiver having end plates at opposite ends thereof, said endplates being spaced from one another a distance greater than the lengthof said sheet material,

b. feed means disposed to feed the sheet material in individual sheetsinto the receiver,

c. sheet positioning means comprising at least one rotating roller meansassociated with the receiver having an axis of rotation normal to thepath of the sheet material fed thereto, and means comprising anelectromagnet associated with the roller means to cause the roller meansto engage the topmost sheet received by the receiver for movement of thetopmost sheet by the roller means into engagement with one of the endplates, and

(I. control means to actuate the sheet positioning means selectively toposition each sheet against a desired one of the end plates, including acounting means to actuate the sheet-positioning means selectively toposition a plurality of sheets in engagement with a desired one of theend plates and then to position a plurality of sheets in engagement withthe other one of the end plates.

5. An apparatus for stacking units of magnetic sheet material instaggered relationship comprising:

a. a receiver having end plates at opposite ends thereof, said endplates being spaced from one another a distance greater than the lengthof said sheet material,

b. feed means disposed to feed the sheet material in individual sheetsinto the receiver,

c. sheet-positioning means comprising at least one rotating roller meansassociated with the receiver having an axis of rotation normal to thepath of the sheet material fed thereto, and means comprising anelectromagnet as sociated with the roller means to cause the rollermeans to engage the topmost sheet received by the receiver for movementof the topmost sheet by the roller means into engagement with one of theend plates, and

d. control means to actuate the sheet-positioning means selectively toposition each sheet against a desired one of the end plates, including acounting means for reversing direction of the action of theelectromagnet aridrol'ler means after receipt of a predetermined numberof the sheets in the receiver.

6. An apparatus for stacking unitsof sheet'material in'staggeredrelationship comprising:

a. a receiver having end plates at opposite ends thereof, said endplates being spaced from one another a distance greater than the lengthof said sheet material,

b. feed means disposed to feed the sheet material in individual sheetsinto the receiver,

c. sheet-positioning means comprising at least one rotating roller meansassociated with the receiver having an axis of rotation normal to thepath of the sheet material fed thereto, and means associated with theroller means to cause the roller means to engage the topmost sheetreceived by the receiver for movement of the topmost sheet by the rollermeans into engagement with one of the end plates, and

d. control means to actuate the sheet positioning means selectively toposition each sheet against a desired one of the end plates, including acounting means to actuate the positioning means selectively to positiona plurality of sheets in engagement with a desired one of the end platesand then to position a plurality of sheets in engagement with the otherone of the end plates.

7. An apparatus for stacking units of sheet material in staggeredrelationship comprising:

-cl. control means to actuate the sheet-positioning. means selectivelyto position-each sheet against a desired one of the endplates.

8. An apparatusJh-accordance with claim 7 wherein the sheet positioningmeans include means for holding each of the sheets in frictional contactwith the sheet positioning means whereby the sheet positioning means isenabled to move each sheet into engagement with one of the end plates.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein the control meansinclude means to actuate selectively alternate ones of the roller meansto altematethe direction of move ment of the sheets as a function of thedirection of rotation of the roller means energized.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein the control meansinclude a counting means to actuate the positioning means selectively toposition a plurality of sheets in engagement with a desired one of theend plates and then to position a plurality of sheets in engagement withthe other one of the end plates.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein the control meansinclude means to actuate selectively alternate ones of the roller meansto alternate the direction of movement of the sheets as a function ofthe direction of rotation of the roller means actuated.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the roller meansinclude means for holding a sheet in frictional contact with the rollermeans'whereby rotation of the roller means moves each sheet intoengagement with one of the end plates.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the control meansinclude a counting means to actuate the positioning means selectively toposition a plurality of sheets in engagement with a desired one of theend plates and then to position a plurality of sheets in engagement withthe other one of the end plates.

1. An apparatus for stacking units of sheet material in staggeredrelationship comprising: a. a receiver having end plates at oppositeends thereof, said end plates being spaced from one another a distancegreater than the length of said sheet material, b. feed means disposedto feed the sheet material in individual sheets into the receiver, c.sheet-positioning means comprising at least one rotating roller meansassociated with the receiver having an axis of rotation normal to thepath of sheet material fed thereto, and means associated with the rollermeans to cause the roller means to grip the topmost sheet received bythe receiver and move it in a horizontal plane into engagement with oneof the end plates, and d. control means to actuate the sheet positioningmeans selectively to position each sheet against a desired one of theplates.
 2. An apparatus for stacking units of sheet material instaggered relationship comprising: a. a receiver having end plates atopposite ends thereof, said end plates being spaced from one another adistance greater than the length of said sheet material, b. feed meansdisposed to feed the sheet material in individual sheets into thereceiver, c. sheet-positioning means disposed to engage each of thesheets fed to the receiver and to selectively move each sheet to placean edge of each sheet against one of the end plates, and d. controlmeans to actuate the sheet positioning means selectively to positioneach sheet against a desired one of the end plates, including a countingmeans to actuate the positioning means selectively to position aplurality of sheets in engagement with a desired one of the end platesand then to position a plurality of sheets in engagement with the otherone of the end plates.
 3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1wherein the sheet material is magnetic and wherein the means associatedwith the roller means comprise an electromagnet.
 4. An apparatus forstacking units of magnetic sheet material in staggered relationshipcomprising: a. a receiver having end plates at opposite ends thereof,said end plates being spaced from one another a distance greater thanthe length of said sheet material, b. feed means disposed to feed thesheet material in individual sheets into the receiver, c. sheetpositioning means comprising at least one rotating roller meansassociated with the receiver having an axis of rotation normal to thepath of the sheet material fed Thereto, and means comprising anelectromagnet associated with the roller means to cause the roller meansto engage the topmost sheet received by the receiver for movement of thetopmost sheet by the roller means into engagement with one of the endplates, and d. control means to actuate the sheet positioning meansselectively to position each sheet against a desired one of the endplates, including a counting means to actuate the sheet-positioningmeans selectively to position a plurality of sheets in engagement with adesired one of the end plates and then to position a plurality of sheetsin engagement with the other one of the end plates.
 5. An apparatus forstacking units of magnetic sheet material in staggered relationshipcomprising: a. a receiver having end plates at opposite ends thereof,said end plates being spaced from one another a distance greater thanthe length of said sheet material, b. feed means disposed to feed thesheet material in individual sheets into the receiver, c.sheet-positioning means comprising at least one rotating roller meansassociated with the receiver having an axis of rotation normal to thepath of the sheet material fed thereto, and means comprising anelectromagnet associated with the roller means to cause the roller meansto engage the topmost sheet received by the receiver for movement of thetopmost sheet by the roller means into engagement with one of the endplates, and d. control means to actuate the sheet-positioning meansselectively to position each sheet against a desired one of the endplates, including a counting means for reversing direction of the actionof the electromagnet and roller means after receipt of a predeterminednumber of the sheets in the receiver.
 6. An apparatus for stacking unitsof sheet material in staggered relationship comprising: a. a receiverhaving end plates at opposite ends thereof, said end plates being spacedfrom one another a distance greater than the length of said sheetmaterial, b. feed means disposed to feed the sheet material inindividual sheets into the receiver, c. sheet-positioning meanscomprising at least one rotating roller means associated with thereceiver having an axis of rotation normal to the path of the sheetmaterial fed thereto, and means associated with the roller means tocause the roller means to engage the topmost sheet received by thereceiver for movement of the topmost sheet by the roller means intoengagement with one of the end plates, and d. control means to actuatethe sheet positioning means selectively to position each sheet against adesired one of the end plates, including a counting means to actuate thepositioning means selectively to position a plurality of sheets inengagement with a desired one of the end plates and then to position aplurality of sheets in engagement with the other one of the end plates.7. An apparatus for stacking units of sheet material in staggeredrelationship comprising: a. a receiver having end plates at oppositeends thereof, said end plates being spaced from one another a distancegreater than the length of said sheet material, b. feed means disposedto feed the sheet material in individual sheets into the receiver, c.sheet positioning means disposed to engage each of the sheets fed to thereceiver and to selectively move each sheet to place an edge of eachsheet against one of the end plates and comprising a pair of rollermeans rotating in opposite directions, and d. control means to actuatethe sheet positioning means selectively to position each sheet against adesired one of the end plates.
 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim7 wherein the sheet positioning means include means for holding each ofthe sheets in frictional contact with the sheet positioning meanswhereby the sheet positioning means is enabled to move each sheet intoengagement with one of the end plates.
 9. An apparatus in accordancewith claim 7 wherein the controL means include means to actuateselectively alternate ones of the roller means to alternate thedirection of movement of the sheets as a function of the direction ofrotation of the roller means energized.
 10. An apparatus in accordancewith claim 7 wherein the control means include a counting means toactuate the positioning means selectively to position a plurality ofsheets in engagement with a desired one of the end plates and then toposition a plurality of sheets in engagement with the other one of theend plates.
 11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein thecontrol means include means to actuate selectively alternate ones of theroller means to alternate the direction of movement of the sheets as afunction of the direction of rotation of the roller means actuated. 12.An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the roller means includemeans for holding a sheet in frictional contact with the roller meanswhereby rotation of the roller means moves each sheet into engagementwith one of the end plates.
 13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6wherein the control means include a counting means to actuate thepositioning means selectively to position a plurality of sheets inengagement with a desired one of the end plates and then to position aplurality of sheets in engagement with the other one of the end plates.